


I Can Do It Myself (But You Don't Have To)

by Scion13



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: But Also The Others, Fluff, Friendship, Mostly Crutchie, One Shot, brothers supporting brothers, feel good, its just the flu don't get excited, life lessons we all need sometimes, littlerally so sappy, not too sick, protective Newsies, sick!Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-31 21:57:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18322739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scion13/pseuds/Scion13
Summary: “Really, Al, I can get up on my own.”Albert shrugged, “I know you can, Crutch. Just helping.”Crutchie frowned again at that. He expected this kind of reaction from Jack but the newsies leader was back at the boarding house with the flu. Nothing serious, but certainly miserable. Still, Crutchie didn’t know what to think of the fellas being all overbearing on him. Did Jack put them up to it?“Well, thanks then.”Also known as when Race finally explains to Crutchie that friendship isn't about whether or not you can do something. It's about making sure you never have to do it alone.





	I Can Do It Myself (But You Don't Have To)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi All! First order of business: Do I own Newsies? No. No, I do not.   
> Second: So what is this? A little cutesy fluffy drabble about the meaning of friendship? Well, not quite. This is a totally self-serving one-shot based on a dream I had and a lesson I needed to learn. Did I basically explain my entire dream in the endnotes? Yes, I did. It seriously has a good message if you need some positivity today! As always, critiques, praise, and comments always very welcome and thanks for reading!

Everyone was grumbling, breaths rising in the biting winter air as they left the square to spread out for another day’s work. As Crutchie hobbled along in the back, a stray patch of ice had his crutch skitter beneath him. Before he knew what hit him, the small boy found himself face down in the snow, papers scattered around him. 

“Crutchie!” Albert gasped as the boy fell, garnering the rest of the group’s attention. 

Crutchie himself groaned, spitting out snow, as he lifted his head. 

“Here,” Elmer reached down to pick up the fallen boy’s bag, and soon everyone was catching papes and tucking them back in the sack. 

“Oh, thanks fellas, but I can get ‘em.”

“We know,” Specs smiled and Crutchie frowned working on getting himself back up. Albert reached down and helped Crutchie steady himself on his crutch. 

“Really, Al, I can get up on my own.”

Albert shrugged, “I know you can, Crutch. Just helping.”

Crutchie frowned again at that. He expected this kind of reaction from Jack but the newsies leader was back at the boarding house with the flu. Nothing serious, but certainly miserable. Still, Crutchie didn’t know what to think of the fellas being all overbearing on him. Did Jack put them up to it?

“Well, thanks then.” 

Albert nodded and Elmer handed Crutchie back his bag when suddenly a cold wind rippled through the group and everyone huddled deeper in their threadbare coats as they trudged on forward. Crutchie’s ears stung, and as he reached up came to a terrifying realization. 

“Aw, shits!”

“What’s wrong, Crutch?” Race smirked, having woken up late was just running up to meet the rest of them. 

“Oh, uh, nothin’ bad. I’s just forgot my hat is all. I’mma go back and grab it real quick.”

Race nodded, “Alright, I’ll come with ya.”

Crutchie had already started walking back towards the boarding house and turned back to see Race turning to join him, “I can make it on my own just fine.”

“I know,” Race smirked again, adjusting his bag to sit on his shoulder just right. 

“You’ll be late to yer spot.”

“Eh, it don’t matter. If someone takes it I’ll just kick ‘em out. ‘Sides, no one likes bein’ near the warf.”

Crutchie laughed, “No wonder you always smell like fish!”

Race just made a mischievous face and Crutchie laughed some more. Not paying attention Crutchie’s foot slipped on another patch of ice. 

“Whoa!” Race caught Crutchie’s arm and steadied him, but the boy just ripped it from his grip.

“I got it!”

“Well, touch-y!”

“I- I’s sorry, Race.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

They walked in silence for a couple more steps. 

“You know I can really do this on my own just fine.” 

“I know.” 

They made it to the door and Crutchie started ascending the step first, “You don’t need to come with me.”

“Yes I do.”

Crutchie stopped to turn back and look at Race, “Why though? I don’t need-”

“Ya ya, you don’t need help cause you can make it on your own. I’s get it. But crutch, I’m your friend, right?” Race slapped his arm around Crutchie’s shoulders, sliding into the narrow step next to him. 

Crutchie nodded and Race smiled, “So I’s gotta. Friends help each other, whether they need it or not. You go that?”

For the first time all day Crutchie felt warm from his chest to his toes, a kind of happy warmth that ran from the inside out. 

“Ya, ya I got it.” Crutchie smiled at Race, and Race smiled back. 

“Good.”

Just then the door swung open, sending the two boys sprawling down on the step below. Race cursed to make a nun blush and Crutchie laughed as though he had never been happier. 

“Crutchie!” Both boys looked up to see a stuffy nosed, pale, Jack Kelly standing there with his hand on the door decked out from head to toe in a ridiculous amount of cold weather gear. Jack stood a moment in surprise, before running out to help. Luckily Crutchie had already made it back on his feet so Jack just dusted off the snow from his coat. 

“Ay, what am I? Yer dead aunt?” Race bemoaned, but Jack didn’t even look up. The snowy newsie sighed exasperatedly, throwing his hands in the air dramatically. 

“Jack! I’s fine.” Crutchie pushed his friend away with a laugh and got a good look at him. Jack really looked miserable, he was pale, swaying on his feet, and it didn’t look like he was focussing well on anything, “You’s should be inside, whatcha doin’ out anyways?”

Jack stared at the both of them for a long minute before his eyes went wide, “Oh! I’s-- well, I’s uh. . .” then digging in his pockets produced some odd lump of cloth, “youth forgot you’s hath.”

Crutchie shared a smile with Race, before he reached out to take the hat from Jack’s outstretched hand, “Thanks, Jack! You’s a real pall.”

“Anytime,” Jack smiled, taking the hat back to fix it on Crutchie’s head just right. They all stood there smiling before Race cleared his throat. 

“Well this was real sweet an’ all but some of us gotta make a livin’ still.”

“You know, I could come with you if--”

“Don’t you even think about it!” Crutchie spun Jack around and gave him a shove, “Inside now!”

“Ay!” Jack pouted, “I’s can take care of myself.”

“I know you can. But it ain’t gonna stop us from taking care of you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! Quick rant about what inspired this story: As I said before this is a totally self-serving one-shot based on a dream I had and a lesson I needed to learn. Basically, I wasn't in a great place, my depression kind of snuck up on me. Nothing serious but you know, I was struggling. And I have this great debate team, they're really my family here at college (fun fact about me) but I don't really do well with people helping me just in general. I tend to be the very small, vulnerable, fragile, and the baby of the group but I am also a very capable human being so I don't like being babied. I also hate to ask for help in general, because I don't NEED it. Well, one night, I had been having a rough time, and I have this dream of walking out to the bus with my team and for some reason my foot is in a boot (like I broke my leg type boot, not snow boot) and everyone keeps helping me and making sure that I get to the bus without falling, and picking me up if I do. So finally I get annoyed and yell at them that I can take care of myself and they just kind of look at me and say "We know you can, but you know you don't have to. That's what we're for." And it was the most existential dream I've ever had, and you know its bad when your even your subconscious is like, "Your an idiot who needs to accept that people love you and want to help you." 
> 
> So anyway I woke up feeling. . . well not better, but I realized that I didn't have to be going through all this alone, and I wanted to make sure you all know that too. You never have to go through things by yourself, there are people who love you and are waiting to help you. Not because you can't help yourself, but because you shouldn't have to. And I know at the worst of it it feels like you can't even reach people, but people will reach out to you if you give them the chance. I figure everyone could use a reminder of that. And, also, if you don't feel like you have anyone, feel free to message me or leave a comment or something. Life sucks, we get through it together. 
> 
> (Also on a less serious note: do I relate with Crutchie on a spirit animal type level? Yes? Should I? No? Am I going to stop anytime soon? Eh? I love you all and thanks for reading!)


End file.
